The Princess and the Knight
by Eleria-chan
Summary: When a great war threatens to disrupt the peace, Princess Yellow finds herself in the care of the mysterious and emotionless General Lance. At first she hates him, but then her feeling for him soon blooms into something else as the war progress. A medieval Grantedshipping story. Lance x Yellow. Enjoy!
1. Escape

**The Princess and the Knight**

* * *

**Hey! It's me, Eleria-chan again with a new grantedshipping fic! Before I go on, I'm going to throw a bunch of warning first!**

**OOC warning!  
Grantedshipping warning!  
Medieval Time warning!  
Cliche 'Holy-War' warning!  
Princess x Knight warning!  
Multiple Grammar-error warning!**

**With that said, please enjoy!**

* * *

_A long, long time ago, a great evil corrupt the continent of Nielyra. The Demon King Valtar led the army of demons, he sent them to marched to every corner of the land, to spread terror and fear to the many commoners and innocent men. In this time of peril, all hope is lost, until the five Heroes of Light and their partner Pokemon rose to challenge the darkness._

_The battle stretched on for many years, however in the end, the five Heroes of Light managed to gather all the power of hope from many people and sealed the Demon King away. The Five Soul Keys were born, each of them is a pillar supporting the peace and stability of Nielyra which lasted for many, many generations._

_This peace, however, will soon end..._

* * *

Five hundred years after the war with the Demon King, Nielyra has changed. It is now divided into five main territory – the Viridian Kingdom, the Pallet Kingdom, the Saffron Kingdom, the Goldenrod Kingdom, and the Blackthorn Kingdom. The lords of these five kingdoms are wise men who specifically tends to their people's need.

Yet despite their best effort, sometimes there are just some things which are inevitable.

"Miss Amarillo," the mention of her name cause the young princess to snapped out of her train of thought. She turned around to see her most trusted friend standing right behind her. "Ah, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Isabella," the female with the golden hair smiled. "Please, call me Yellow when we're speaking in private. We've known each other for long enough, it would be even more strange if you didn't refer to me more casually."

"I'm sorry, Yellow," the timid-looking young girl bowed apologetically. "But please refrain yourself from disappearing all of a sudden like that. I am your servant, its my duty to stay by your side all the time and protect you."

"You are not my servant," Yellow sighed. "You are my friend, and besides, I think Chuchu is also capable of protecting me." She said, indicating the small mouse Pokemon resting peacefully on the ground nearby. Yellow look around the garden once again, admiring the blooming flowers and the young Pidgey chirping loudly on the tall branches of the tree.

"So... Is it true that you turned down Prince Red's hand in marriage?"

Yellow turned her gaze to the small fountain, "I know nothing of that man... I don't understand why my uncle would bother to ask me if I can devote my heart to a man I barely know."

"B-But, Yellow, I'm sure King Wilton only want what's best for you," Isabella replied. "He's not getting any younger, of course its natural for him to want to make sure that you end up with a good man."

"These things take time..." the young Princess sighed. "Prince Red is hasty, I do understand that he wants to marry and quickly replace his old mother as King, but I don't like being rushed. Marriage is a lifetime promise made between two people, I can't possibly do it if I don't at least know the other a little bit more."

"I see your point," Isabella nodded. "But... There aren't many princes you can choose from. The Prince of Goldenrod is engaged, and is going to hold his wedding ceremony in a few more months. King of Saffron has no son, and the Prince of Blackthorn disappeared ten years ago."

"It doesn't have to be a prince," Yellow calmly replied. "As long as he loves me for who I am..."

"But you're a Princess. Aren't you suppose to marry a Prince?"

"Uncle Wilton wasn't a prince when he married Princess Sophia, my aunt. He was just a commoner. However, he's very smart and wise. Nobody can say anything against him, and so he finally becomes a King. He's a magnificent King, everybody loves him, am I mistaken?"

"Of course not," Isabella smiled. "King Wilton saved me and my family many years ago. He gave us work after knowing that my mother was very ill. I am forever indebted to him..."

"And he treats me like his own child, even though I'm not," Yellow smiled. "He's a very nice man... It's too bad things never work out well for him. His wife passed away due to a very rare disease. I wish I could've been more helpful at that time..."

"Yellow, you were only seven when it happened. There's nothing anyone can do. The best priests from all over the land have been requested, none of them can do anything..."

"I know that," the Princess nodded. "I know that very well... But still, my uncle has done so many things. I'll do anything to make him happy."

"The only way he can be happy is to see you happy, Yellow."

"Yes, you're right," she picked up Chuchu from the ground and gently stroke the little mouse Pokemon in her arms. "I have to do my best to look for my own happiness..."

For many years, princess Amarillo have been living the quiet life inside the protective castle walls. Her parents left her when she was very young, her uncle told her they died a noble's death. Hearing that from her uncle is enough to put her mind at ease for the past ten years ever since they left her behind. Now she's eighteen, and her uncle has been trying his best to find a suitable man for her, which produces no apparent result until now.

It's not that she doesn't want to get married, she's just not ready yet. There's still so much more she wanted to see before she settles down with another man. She wanted to see the world just once.

That night, she stood on the balcony of her room, dressed in a simple white night gown. She gazed up at the stars about, but then, she suddenly noticed the strange sound of commotion going on the ground. She tried to get a better look, but it was too dark for her to see. Her trusted Chuchu seems to be alerted as well.

"Princess Amarillo!" A sudden knock was heard on the door. "It's me, Isabella! Please, open the door at once!"

She sounded very urgent, and this cause the young princess to worry. She quickly opened the door, and was nonetheless surprised to see her best friend looking so beaten up and exhausted.

"Isabella, what is going on?"

"The castle..." The young girl gasped. "It's under attack!"

* * *

"Uncle!" Yellow rushed to her uncle's side in the throne room with Chuchu on her shoulder. "What is going on? Who are these people?"

King Wilton looks especially concerned, which is quiet a rare sight to see for a cheerful man like him. "I don't know. But... We're overpowered, there's too many of them. Yellow, you have to run, now!"

"No!" Yellow gasped in horror. "I will never leave your side! I will stay and fight along with you!"

"Don't be silly," he said with a calm voice. "You are the Princess of this Viridian Kingdom, your safety should be my priority now... I made a promise to your father that I'm going to protect you, no matter what happened... I can't let you get involved, you have to run."

"But-"

"Go to the Pallet Kingdom, inform Prince Red about what's going on..." he ordered. "General Lance!"

"Yes, my king?" a young man with swept-back red hair suddenly appears. He donned the formal black outfit of a Viridian Kingdom's General, however the black color can't fully conceal the wounds on his body. His grey cape looks tattered worn out. His sword is tainted with the crimson color of blood. It's clear that the fighting has been hard on his side.

Yellow has never seen him before. Who is he? How can her uncle believe in this man?

"Take care of Princess Amarillo," King Wilton said.

"... I understand, your highness," he then turned his gaze to the golden-haired Princess. "Milady, please follow me."

"No! I refuse to leave!" Yellow shouted in denial.

"Yellow, once this is over, I'll come and get you..." Wilton offered her a smile. "For now, please... Take care of yourself..."

The Princess was nonetheless stupefied by the confident smile his uncle gave her. That smile is forced, she knew that, but she also realized that staying stubborn would only hurt him even more. Without any other warning, General Lance suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.

Yellow followed, despite tripping on her own feet for countless of time. Her mind went blank, she couldn't think of anything else. She wanted to believe that this whole scene is just a nightmare, but she just can't.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

All of a sudden, a huge man appears right before them. He wore a shining silver armor with a very familiar emblem carved onto it. He snickers as he raise his huge silver axe and bring it down onto the ground with a very large force. General Lance pushed her back as he raised his sword to engage him in a fight.

"I am Commander Surge!" The man declared his own name. "You're General Lance, aren't you? The Knight with the demonic eyes? I'm going to defeat you!"

"Calm down, Surge," a woman suddenly appeared from behind him. Her hand burns with the color of a brilliant blue flame. It's clear that she's a magic wielder. "Don't forget our mission..."

"Sabrina..." Commander Surge growled. "Stop following me around!"

"Princess," Lance said as he took a defensive step back, "Stay close to me..."

However suddenly, a bright red flame suddenly came from behind and hit Surge right on his chest. They all turn to look at the attacker.

"General Lance, Princess Amarillo, run!" Isabella urgently ordered as her hand began to glow with another red flame. "I'm going to hold them off!"

"Isabella!" Yellow gasped.

"Run! Now!" she shouted as she sent another two of those fireballs towards Sabrina and Surge. They all crouched to protect themselves, and General Lance used this chance to grab the princess' wrist once again and pulled her away. They keep on running and running until they've reached the kitchen's backdoor. And from there, they make their way towards the Viridian Forest, where they know they'll be save for the time being.

They concealed themselves in the darkness as they keep on going. They finally stopped when they can't hear anything anymore. Except for the dead silence of the lonely night. He then finally let go of her wrist.

"Ge-General Lance..." She finally managed to chocked out those words. "What's going on?"

"Those men are from the Saffron Kingdom..." he finally replied as he sheathed back his sword. "King Giovanni's men..."

"What?" She asked, looking bewildered. "No! That's not possible! King Giovanni is a peaceful man, why would he do something like this?"

"That, I don't know..." his voice remains cool despite the circumstances. "This attack is so sudden and unexpected, we were unprepared. Our priority now is to get you to Pallet Kingdom. Once we get there, you'll be safe."

"Lance... What will happen to uncle...?" her voice is shaking with fear.

"... He's a strong man," he replied after a moment of silence. "Many of the royal mages are there to help him..." He said those words, yet he avoided the words which possibly can give her any kind of hope of ever seeing him again.

Chuchu cried out in concern, wanting more than anything else to cheer up her mistress. However, there's nothing the small yellow Pokemon could do.

The Viridian Kingdom has fallen...

* * *

**Hey, I hope you enjoy the first chapter!**

**I know that I shouldn't be starting a new fic when I still have some other to complete, but I'm dead stuck, and this idea is just too good to pass on! So Granted Forever, as well as the others who have been waiting patiently for the last chapter of my 'Granted Call' fic, I'm really sorry!**

**To make it up to you guys, I'm going to try and update regularly!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review!**

**With Love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


	2. Shadows of Chaos

**The Princess and the Knight**

That night, Princess Yellow and General Lance began their journey to the Pallet Kingdom in silence. They took the long way around, avoiding the castle as they made their way, with commoner robes as the only mean to conceal their identity. Pallet Kingdom is located not far, so it only took them a couple of hours before they finally stepped on Queen Delia's territory.

Soon enough, they finally reached Pallet's Castle, and was quickly brought to see the Prince and Queen.

"It must have been very hard on you, Amarillo," Queen Delia pulled her into a comforting hug. "You look horrible, you should get some more rest. We have plenty of rooms here. Red, why don't you escort her?"

"It's alright," Yellow mumbled as she gently pulled away from the Queen."Did you hear anything about my uncle?"

"Nothing, my dear," the Queen shook her head. "But I've sent some of my spies to check on the current situation, they'll be back soon enough." Her gaze then fell upon the tired-looking General. "General Lance, are you hurt?"

"I'm grateful that you are concern for me, Queen Delia, but you shouldn't worry about me. I believe we should all be more concerned about King Wilton, as well as King Giovanni's intention behind this attack."

"Yes, we should," the Queen nodded. "This is all so unexpected... King Giovanni is a wonderful leader, why would he do something like this? I must speak with my Advisor and General immediately. I may not know when they will come to attack, but we have to get ready as soon as possible. For now, you must rest."

"I'll escort the Princess to her room then, mother," Prince Red suddenly volunteered. He let out his hand for her to take.

Yellow hesitated for a moment, wondering if this really is the right time to rest. However, she decided that there's nothing more she can do for now. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her away from the throne room. General Lance stayed behind to discuss more in details of the current situation.

"Are you alright Princess?" Red asked when they have finally reach the room. "Do you need anything else? I'll be glad to assist you in any way I can."

"No, it's fine, you've done enough..." she replied as she stepped into the room. Her small Chuchu suddenly jumped down from her shoulder and quickly occupy the bed.

"Princess Yellow..." Red suddenly said. "We may not know what's going on for sure, but please do not worry. We will do our best to help you out. You are not alone."

"... Thank you, Red..."

"Have a nice stay," he then closed the door, leaving the room all to herself and Chuchu. After making sure that she's gone, she finally let the tears out for the first time ever since she left her home...

* * *

"Saffron Kingdom is a very large Kingdom," Queen Delia's advisor, Bill, said as he pointed at the map which shows the Saffron territory. "Compared to us, they obviously have more resources. More men, more supplies... We don't stand a chance in this war, unless we can get the Goldenrod and Blackthorn to swear their alliance to us."

"The Queen of Goldenrod is a very nice woman, I'm sure she'll be willing to lend us some help," Queen Delia thoughtfully commented. "And the Queen of Blackthorn is a reasonable woman, I'm sure we can work something out. I'll write a letter to each of them."

"Goldenrod is a fairly large Kingdom," General Brock of the Pallet Castle commented thoughtfully. "But I don't think they're training a lot of knights there. If we're going to ask for help, it should be from Blackthorn. They know how to tame powerful Dragons, their help would be an invaluable asset."

"My Queen, I have returned," that voice which suddenly came out of nowhere surprised General Lance. He looked around the room, unable to find the speaker. The other seems to be at ease though, as if they are used to voices coming out of nowhere.

"Blue," the Queen replied, eyes still fixed on the tactical map. "What news did you bring from Viridian?"

Just then, a figure emerges from the dark corner of the room, nearly causing Lance to jump back in surprise. She's a young girl with a beautiful brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. She has quiet a small, slender figure which is mostly concealed behind the black robe. She stepped forward, black boots almost making no noise. If she's a little bit paler, Lance could've mistaken her for a ghost.

"I bring terrible news, my Queen," the girl softly spoke.

"Please tell me, Blue..." The Queen urged her to continue.

"The castle is now empty, the enemies has left. I overheard the locals talking, apparently, King Wilton is still alive, he has been taken to a dungeon in Saffron."

"That is a wonderful news, Blue," Queen Delia replied. "King Wilton is still alive. And they've left the castle."

"That's not all..."

"... Is there something else?"

"Yes..." Blue nodded. "At first, I couldn't believe my own ears, however after looking around for some more, I can no longer deny the dark days that lays ahead. We are now facing a very terrible crisis..."

"... Crisis?" Bill asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I've searched throughout the empty castle. And after hours of searching, i can only confirm the worst..."

"Blue, please, just tell it straight," General Brock said. "What did you find out?"

She looks at the Queen with a very grim look pasted on her face as she took out something from her pocket. It a small pouch filled with bits of broken glass.

"Blue, what is this?" General Brock asked as he carefully picked out one of the broken glass and held it up for all to see.

"The Viridian Soul Key has been destroyed..."

* * *

Yellow woke up the next dawn.

She slowly sits up and looks around. For a moment, she felt as if there's completely nothing wrong with her life, but then the memory of the other night came crashing down on her, and she felt her heart aching once again at the thought of her dearest uncle's fate. She found several fresh clothes waiting for her by the edge of her bed, and she quickly puts them on.

Chuchu woke up when she felt her mistress shuffling off the bed. The little yellow Pokemon stretched and yawned, before hopping onto the ground and sniffing around the air for food.

Yellow, however, can't be bothered with food right now. After sorting out her mind, she decided that she should go and talk to the General who saved her. She walked out of the room, and was rather surprised to bump into the said general.

"Ah, Princess," the General offered her the tray he has been carrying. "I figure you must be hungry. So I brought you these."

Yellow stared at the food for a moment, finally realizing how hungry she is, before grabbing the tray from him. "I need to talk to you..." She said, avoiding to look at him directly in the eyes. She couldn't help but to wonder, how can he still look so calm? Their Kingdom has just fallen, what is he going to do now?

Chuchu suddenly climbed onto her shoulder and grabbed one of the bread on the tray, before running off and munching on the bread inside the room.

"We'll talk after you're finish," he said. "I'll be waiting out here, please take your time."

Yellow hesitated for a moment, but did as told. She closed the door and slowly nibbles on her bread. A few minutes later, she came out again, looking much better than before. Chuchu rested on her shoulder, looking satisfied. She look at the man in the eyes as she closed the door behind her.

For the first time, she noticed the strange color of his eyes. It's golden, it's quiet rare to see someone with such an odd eyes color.

"I will bring you to Queen Delia," Lance said calmly. "She will explain to you the current situation..."

"... No, I need to talk to you..."

"May I hear it then?"

"... That night, why did you run away? You are a sworn knight of the Viridian Kingdom," her voice slightly falters with restrained emotions. "You've sworn your life for the Kingdom, but you ran away... Why...?"

"Princess, I do not serve the Kingdom... I serve the King... I am but his pawn. He wishes me to take you away, then it is my duty to take you away."

"Still!" she raised her voice. "You served him, you spoke such words, but still you left him! You left his side and ran away! You should've stayed by his side!"

"If I stayed by his side, then I'm only going to disobey his order..."

"You... I don't get you..." she shook her head. "You are a knight, and yet... You abandon your King and now you're telling me that you're just doing his order... And to make it worse, my uncle entrusted my safety to you. I can't trust you... No, I can't trust a knight who abandons his King."

"... By abandoning the King, I may have betrayed some of my knightly vows." He replied after a moment of silence. "However, if I disobeyed his order, then I will betray my King. As the honored knight of Viridian, I'd rather commit this shameful act of running away, rather than to betray King Wilton. I do not mind if you can not trust me, you barely know who I am. Your lack of trust will not hinder me from performing my duty to protect you, I will give you that promise."

"Please leave me alone," she finally said. "I do not wish to see your face right now..." And without another word, she turned around and quickly left.

The General watched as she left, before turning around to attend on some of his own matters. He paused to gaze out of the window, deep inside wondering how much time is left before the sky will be set ablaze by the flame of war that awaits...

* * *

"I've know Giovanni for many years," Queen Delia recounted as she gaze out of the window of the throne room. "He's a wonderful King, nothing less than amazing. I never thought he would do something like this..."

Princess Yellow could only stare at the Queen's back, concern written all over her face. She was nonetheless happy to hear that her uncle is still alive, however, the second part of the news shocked her more than anything else.

The Soul Key, is the ancient treasure which is said to hold the energy to seal the Demon King many years ago. There are five of them, each guarded by the five kingdoms spread throughout the land. Yellow has never seen the Soul Key before, but she sure knows that something bad is going to happen if all the Soul Keys are destroyed.

"Destroying the Soul Key... What was he thinking?" The Queen closed her eyes slowly. "Now, the Saffron soldiers are marching towards this Kingdom as we speak. Amarillo, if you stay here, I can no longer guarantee your safety. Forgive me, but you have to flee."

"Flee?" Yellow seemed to be surprised by the revelation.

"Yes, you will be travelling with Red to the Goldenrod Kingdom..."

"Mother, I'd rather stay here with you," Prince Red grimly stated at he kept his gaze fixed on the stone floor.

"Don't be foolish, son," the Queen said. "You will bring the Soul Key with you. Make sure it's safe. Seek help from the Queen of Goldenrod, she'll understand the dire situation we're in right now... Amarillo, forgive me for the inconvenience, but this place is no longer safe. They'll be arriving soon, you have to leave as soon as the night falls."

"Your highness, are you not going to come with us?" Yellow sounded worried.

"You are a good child, but no," she shook her head. "I am the Queen, it is my duty to stay here and fight along my men. Forgive me for being so selfish, but may I ask you to please watch over Red?"

"Mother," the young Prince looks obviously saddened. "I will be fine. I will make it to Goldenrod, and I will protect the Pallet's Soul Key, as well as Princess Amarillo."

"Good, you two should go and get your supplies ready... The night is about to fall on us. You two have to leave soon. I pray for your safety..."

"And I pray for yours as well, my Queen..."

"Mother..."

* * *

"It's going to be a long journey," Red said as he tightened the supply bags on the Arcanine. "Are you ready?"

Yellow nodded in response as she tore her gaze away from her Chuchu and Red's Pika, both of which are playing happily together by the empty sparring field not far.

"We will reach the Goldenrod Castle in four days if no interruption occurs during our journey," Green, one of the Queen's most trusted knights, said as he kept his gaze fixed on the map of the land. "We might come across some bandits and rogues along the way, so we'd better be careful."

"... Green," Red said. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

The young knight rolled up his map, "It saddens me to leave, but if the Queen wishes for me to go with you, then I have no right to object. My duty is to protect you and the Soul Key, I will fulfill this duty even if it costs me my life."

"Thank you..." Prince Red smiled, "You've always been reliable, I entrust my safety to you. Princess Amarillo, where's General Lance?"

"Please, call me Yellow," she replied. "Lance is discussing a few important details with the Queen, he'll join us shortly."

"I never thought I would be given the chance to meet the famous Demon Knight..." Green mused. "He is indeed a very reliable man."

"Demon Knight?" Yellow curiously repeated.

"Yes, milady, that man is famous amongst the knights all over the land." Green nodded. "His golden eyes and superior combat skills earned him that name. They said he could defeat twenty armed men with just a small knife in his hand. He's undoubtedly the youngest man to have ever been promoted to a General. He was only fifteen, or so I've heard."

"You look pretty young as well, Green," Yellow commented.

"Yes, I am nothing more but a mere knight. I am very inexperienced. Even though I've grown up learning how to wield a sword properly, my knowledge is limited."

"Don't humble yourself, Green," Red said. "Your skills can even match General Brock's. To be honest with you, I feel much safer knowing that it's you who will escort us to Goldenrod..."

"You flatter me too much..."

"Excuse me, milord," a voice suddenly came up, they all turned around, and saw the spy, Blue, standing right there. Everybody blinked, she wasn't there before, so her sudden appearance shocked everyone nonetheless.

"Blue," Red smiled, "What news do you bring for me?"

"The Queen requested me to come along with you..." The young brunette revealed. "I can help you gather information along the way. You are a prince, of course you need a spy like me to gather informaton for you, right?"

"I can not deny that," Red nodded. "But it's going to be a long journey ahead, are you fine with it?"

"I'll follow you even if we have to travel to the darkest corner of the world, milord." Blue politely bowed.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that, Blue," Red stated.

Just then, Lance exited through the main entrance, still looking as calm as always. "Are we set?"

"Yes," Red replied. "We're ready when you are, Lance."

"Then let us be on our way..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Here's chapter 2!**

**I have nothing much to say here, I just hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**I know that this Lance who keeps on talking about duty and such is a really OOC kind of Lance, but that's what makes him so dreamy to me ^.^**

**Well, I've got nothing else to say here, so...**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review.**

**With love, **

**Eleria-chan.**


	3. One Safe Home

**The Princess and the Knight**

The beginning of their journey was fairly easy. The road was clear from and kind of disturbance, and even though the night was rather dark, Blue proved herself to be a very efficient guide. In the silence of the night, they marched through the rough terrain.

The night reminded Yellow of the short journey she took with Lance when they left the Viridian Castle. She couldn't recall much of the details, since she was grieving for the loss of her home, but she still remember how the night air was so cold. Thankfully, Green's Arcanine is radiating with heat, making the coldness slightly more bearable.

"If we move from here to the north, we'll be entering the Blackthorn territory," Blue suddenly said as she pointed towards the north. "To get there, we have to go through some unfavorable terrain. There is a safer way around, but it's going to take an extra five days."

"Have you been to Blackthorn before?" Green asked.

"I have, on several investigation work," she replied. "It's a beautiful place, many dragon Pokemon live there, peacefully coexisting with humans... However, I still think the Pallet Kingdom is better. There's no place like home after all..."

"True," Red smiled. "You have to take me there one day, though... I would like to see how beautiful it is..."

"Of course, I would be happy to," Blue replied.

Lance suddenly looked up at the sky. "... It's getting late, we should rest for the night."

"Yes, I think we should," Red agreed.

Green motioned his Arcanine to stop. They choose a location close to the trees and set up their tents. The nobles get to have their own tents, while the rest have to manage sharing their tent with one another somehow.

"The two you should have the tent," Green said as he puts out the fire. "I'm going to stay with Arcanine. He gets lonely quiet easily and I have to make sure he doesn't run off."

"So, it leaves only you and me, General Lance," Blue smiled at him. "I hope you're going to be fine with the arrangement."

"Um... Blue can share with me," Yellow suddenly suggested. "I don't mind sleeping in the same tent as her. After all, she's a woman, it wouldn't feel right if I let her share her tent with another man when she can do it with me."

"No, you're too kind, Princess," Blue rejected. "I'll be alright... I'm sure someone as refined as the general wouldn't lay a hand on me."

"But I insist," Yellow returned. "This is my first time sleeping outdoor, I'm very nervous, and I wish for you to stay with me..."

"Princess, you're just too kind," Blue sighed.

No one has any objection to the idea of a Princess sharing a tent with a spy, and soon, everyone settled down. The fire are all put out, and silence reign over their small campsite. Outside, Green is sleeping peacefully against his Arcanine, body wrapped with a thick blanket for extra warmth.

"Princess, you looked troubled, is there anything on your mind?" Blue asked as she entered the small tent.

"Oh, its nothing, I was just thinking about my uncle..." Yellow replied as she gently stroke Chuchu's fur. "And please, call me Yellow. We are comrades in this journey."

"Ah, your uncle the King..." Blue nodded as she sat down next to Yellow. "I heard he has been taken to a prison near the Saffron Castle. It will not be easy to save him..."

"I know..." Yellow nodded. "I just hope he will be fine."

"I'm sure he will be," Blue offered her a smile. "King Giovanni... I don't know what he's planning, but I'm sure he won't be as so cruel as to hurt King Wilton. I heard they were close friends back in their younger days..."

"Really?" Yellow tilted her head. "I've never heard about it before."

"I can't really confirm it too, that's just a rumor going about..."

"Oh, I see..."

"Don't worry, Prin- I mean, Yellow... Once this is over, I'm sure you'll be reunited with the King."

"Thank you, Blue," Yellow smiled. "We should get some rest, tomorrow is going to be a long day, yes?"

* * *

The next morning, both Blue and Yellow are woken up by the sound of metals clanging from outside their tents. Alerted, they quickly scrambled out to see if they're under attack. Red woke up at almost exactly the same time. When the three of them looked outside, they were nonetheless surprised to see Green and Lance both fighting with their swords drawn out.

"Ah, good morning," Green stopped and lowered his guard. "We were just doing our morning practice. I apologize if we cause a ruckus."

"It's fine," Red said as he stepped out of his tent, still looking sleepy. "You can continue."

"I don't think I can do it anymore," Green said. "My arms are getting tired... Thank you for sparring with me, Lance."

"My pleasure," Lance sheathed his sword safely, before turning to the others. "We've made breakfast, so please help yourselves before we continue on our way."

"I didn't know knights can cook," Blue commented as she sniffed the air filled with the smell of freshly brewn mushrooms and herbs.

"Cooking is actually quiet simple," Green replied. "Once you know the difference between what's edible and what's not."

Once they finished breakfast and disassembled the tent, they continue on their way to the Goldenrod Castle. The day is a sunny and hot, thus draining their stamina faster than before. They have to stop every now and then to find water source and refill their water supply, which is not much to begin with. By noon, they would settle for lunch, before continuing on their way until the night falls. This pattern is repeated for the next three days.

"We should reach the castle by tomorrow afternoon," Blue commented as she stirred the soup she's making.

"... Prince Red," Yellow said. "You look troubled, is something bothering you?" She couldn't help but to notice that the Prince has been staring blankly into the fire for the past few minutes. Usually, Red would be the most cheerful man in the small group, he would lighten up the conversation with his wittiness and smile.

"Oh, I was just wondering about my mother," Red offered her a smile. "Sorry for making you worry."

"... The Saffron Soldiers should've reached the castle by now..." Green muttered as he puts in more branches to the burning fire.

"I pray for her safety..." Blue nodded.

The mood turned solemn all of a sudden. Everyone began to wonder about the condition of their own home. Red knows that her mother has no other choice. She can't leave the castle, and she can't give up the Soul Key. Sending him away with the Soul Key is the only option they have left if they want to protect it from Giovanni's grasp. However, his heart still aches with regret whenever he thinks about his mother.

The silence was quickly interrupted when Arcanine suddenly perked up and began to growl.

"Bandits..." Lance suddenly appeared and stepped forward, hands already on his sword.

They all turned their gaze, and soon realized that a group of men is approaching them from a distance. There are approximately ten of them. Quiet large in number, and that has yet to include the number of Pokemon they have on their side.

"Hey, hey, look what we have here," the leader spoke with such great confidence in his voice. "Kids, this is our territory. If ya want to pass through here, ya hav got ta pay."

"We have nothing to give to bandits and thieves," Green calmly replied as he grabbed his sword.

"Oh, looks like we've got some nobles here, eh?" the other one spoke. "Look at those knights, we could sell their swords for quiet a sum, don't you think?"

"You are in the presence of a very important person," Green raised his voice. "Leave, or you will suffer the consequences."

"Oh, I'm so scared," another mocked. "Come on, guys, let's have some fu-" his words were suddenly cut-off and replaced with a spine-tingling, ear-splitting scream. In the next moment, the man fell heavily onto the ground, his whole body shaking horrifyingly.

"Now, now," Prince Red suddenly stepped up, his Pika dangerously perched on his shoulder. "Let's settle this peacefully. We are in a very, very delicate situation, and we would like nothing more than a safe trip ahead. We ask for you to leave now, however, if you remain hard-headed, then Pika isn't going to hold back on the second one..." He smiled as he said those words, on his shoulder, the little Pokemon's cheek light up with electric sparks.

"Why you-" another man tried to launch an attack, but was then mercilessly shocked with the electric power of the little Pokemon. He fell like the first man did.

"Everybody, attack!"

"Pika, don't hold back on this one."

* * *

In just a few moments, all the bandits were defeated already by the small yellow Pokemon. Arcanine did its part of the battle as well, but Pika was so efficient that none of the Knights were required to unsheate their swords. Soon, all the bandits scrambled upon their feet, and quickly ran away with their tails between their legs, all of them cursing out crude words.

"We should go," Lance finally said when the last of them disappeared out of their sight.

"There's a likely chance that they will return with reinforcement," Green nodded in agreement.

While the two knights pack their supplies, Yellow and Blue gather around Red to praise the little Pokemon.

"I never know they could be this strong," Yellow commented as she stroke Pika's head. Chuchu pouted as she perched on her mistress' shoulder, but did not say anything to protest.

"With a little bit of training, I'm sure your Pikachu will be capable of doing the same thing," Red smiled.

"Ah, but I don't like to fight, even more, train for it," Yellow admitted as she let go. "There has never been any good that comes out from fighting..."

"I see your point..." He nodded. "I can't imagine such a gentle and beautiful lady like you fighting anyway..."

That statement made her blush.

* * *

That night, the continue on their journey, without even stopping to rest. They were all tired, but they knew they have to reach Goldenrod before anything else happens. When the dawn arrives, they could finally see it. The Goldenrod Castle.

"Welcome to the Goldenrod castle," Queen Chrishel quickly greeted them the moment they entered the throne room. "Prince Red, and Princess Amarillo, I believe? I've heard news about your arrival. I was going to send some of my men to pick you up, but you arrived earlier than expected!"

"I'm sorry for the intrusion," Red replied. "These past few days has been tough. King Giovanni has succumbed to madness, the Viridian Castle is destroyed and now those Saffron Soldiers are possibly trampling on my Kingdom."

"Yes, I've heard," The Queen grimly nodded. "I am truly sorry for what happened. If I had know sooner, I would've send my men to help out in the fight."

"It's alright, we now have to face the present and future, no point in fussing over the past," Red stated.

"Yes we should, however, I do believe that you need to rest," the Queen said. "Just look at you, you look as if you're ready to collapse! Come, I will have someone to escort you to your rooms. Rest, eat, then we can talk."

* * *

**Hey guys! Hope you like this chapter! Stay tune for the next chapter soon enough! And sorry for all the grammatical errors!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review.**

**With Love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


	4. Journey that Awaits

**The Princess and the Knight**

There are times when his presence is not needed by the Princess, and those times worries General Lance the most. He can not see her, he can not watch over her, the only thing he can do is to worry. The Goldenrod Castle is guarded by twice as many guards as the Viridian Castle, he knew that already, so of course his worry is nothing more than a mere illusion. However, he still can't get rid of the disturbing feeling inside.

"Silver, how have you been doing?" a certain familiar voice caught his attention. He looked around, and soon noticed the young spy from Pallet Castle approaching a red-haired boy just around the next corner ahead.

"Sister," the boy named Silver said. "I heard about what happened, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, you know very well that I can take care of myself, Silver," she sounded especially cheerful. "So, how are you doing these days? I heard you're training to become a knight?"

"Yes, I am..." the boy replied. "General Chuck is tough to train under, but he often praised me with the spear. I'm getting the hang of it, sis."

"Good, good... When I left for Pallet to search for my parents, I was kind of worried that you'll not survive on your own here."

"Sister, I recall telling you to leave without any burden in your mind. I can take care of myself, you've always been taking care of me, I can't possibly hold you down when you were going to look for your own parents."

"Ah, you've grown so much, Silver... How are things with the Prince? Is he still acting so carefree like he used to?"

"Prince Gold has gotten a little better ever since he met a young mage by the name of Crystal. They're going to hold the wedding ceremony soon enough. But I guess with the Saffron Kingdom attacking all of sudden, they have to put it off for a while..."

"True," Blue thoughtfully nodded. "I would like to see this mage for once. She must have been a very nice girl."

"Oh, on the contrary, she's the opposite," Silver chuckled. "She's a very hard-working woman with an attitude of steel. She's feared and avoided by many men for her superior intelligence."

Blue giggled. "Really? You have to let me see her!"

"I'll do that, but first I need to get back to the training field. I'll see you later, sister."

"Oh, good luck then, Silver!" Blue sighed, before turning her gaze to Lance's direction. "You can come out now, General."

Lance did as told.

"I hope you're not planning on becoming a spy later on, General Lance," blue smiled. "Your presence is too noticeable. Even Silver knows you're there."

"Pardon me for being so rude, miss," Lance offered a simple apology. "But I was going through this way when I noticed you two talking. I get the feeling that I really shouldn't interrupt."

"It's fine," Blue said. "Thank you for not interrupting... Silver is busy right now, he probably didn't have that much time to begin with."

"Yes, he ran all the way from the training field to see you..." Lance nodded. "He must really cherish you..."

Blue giggled. "Silver and I both were orphans, we were living miserably on the streets until Father Pryce picked us up. He gave us food and a place to stay here in the castle... We were always looking out for one another, so its no wonder we're like siblings."

"I see..." Lance murmured. "He's an eager young man, from what I observed. He'll make a fine knight. However, I can't help but to notice something about him..."

"What is it, General?"

"I can't quiet remember, but I believe his face looks oddly familiar..."

"You must be mistaken," Blue shook her head. "Silver and I grew up in Goldenrod..."

"Is that so...?" Lance still looks rather unconvinced.

"You mull over the most unimportant matter. Right now, why don't we focus more on what lays ahead?"

"Yes, you're right... I apologize for being so intrusive."

"General, in exchange for the small information you've just heard, why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

"Something about myself?"

"Yes, I'm a spy, I don't like to give without getting something in return. I leaves a horrible after-taste..."

"Very well then, I believe its only fair. However, I can't tell you much. I don't recall neither anything about my birthplace, nor anything about my parents. The only vivid memory of my childhood is when..." he hesitated for a moment, which is quiet a rare moment to see. "I first lay my eyes upon the Princess..."

"Ah, is that affection I hear?" Blue looks rather surprised.

"... I can't say it's affection. My feelings for her are nothing more than a mere fondness for the Princess of Viridian."

"You're still fond of her despite her cold treatment towards you?"

"Cold treatment?"

"Yes, I have noticed during our journey that the Princess doesn't seem to like being near you. I noticed the way she looks at you with dislike, and avoided your gaze with much effort."

"Her feelings are her own, I won't let it hinder me from performing my duty to protect her."

"Ah... You are indeed an admirable knight..."

* * *

From the far end of the training field, Lance observed the young man called Silver. There is something about him that stirred a long-forgotten memory, he just can't put a finger on it. He quietly let out a sigh, ever since he arrived in Goldenrod castle, more and more things are bothering him. He knew he should only focus his attention to protect the princess, yet he can't ignore the feeling that something isn't right.

Maybe he's too tired, maybe the fall of the Viridian Castle has affected him worse than he originally thought. He needs to sort out his thought, otherwise it will reflect on his performance sooner or later.

"General Lance," Green suddenly approached him. "Looking for a chance to spar?"

"No... I'm just thinking..."

Green turned his gaze to the training soldiers. "About the war...?"

"That's one of the many things I'm thinking about..."

"Even though you always look so calm, you are actually considering a lot of things in your mind. I suppose... Being a General is not as easy as they claimed..."

"It is vital for a knight to always remain calm..."

"... Ah, General Chuck... He used to be part of the mercenary, until the Goldenrod castle recruited him for his fearsome ability..." Green said. "I used to train under him, but when he joined the Goldenrod army, I have no other choice but to return to Pallet Kingdom."

"You were in the mercenary?"

"Only for a couple of years..." Green nodded. "I wanted to surpass my grandfather, who used to be the best knight in Pallet, so I embark on a journey to become stronger."

"I see..."

"Green! Lance!"

The two of them turned around, and quickly noticed the Prince and Princess coming to their way.

"We've discuss about our future plans with the Queen," Red said after they are all within hearing distance. "We've agreed on an alliance against the Saffron Soldiers. We'll be working with the Goldenrod forces to stop King Giovanni."

"That's good news," Lance nodded in agreement.

"Yes, and now, all we have to do is propose the alliance agreement to the Queen of Blackthorn. We're going to leave for Blackthorn tomorrow, so please get enough supplies and rest. I don't know how the Queen of Blackthorn will react, for I heard she's quiet a difficult woman, however, we should at least give it a try."

"Princess..." Lance turned his gaze to Yellow. "Are you planning on coming along with the Prince as well?"

"Yes," Yellow nodded. "We'll be travelling with him again, so please get yourself ready."

"It's not my intention to question your wish, however, I believe it will be much safer for you to stay behind. Goldenrod is a strong Kingdom, King Giovanni will think twice before attacking, I see no other reason for you to follow him..."

"Lance, if I may..." Red interfered. "I believe that the Princess is a wonderful travelling companion. And having you, the famed Demon Knight, by my side is nothing less that reassuring."

"You are praising me too much," Lance replied. "However... I can not do this. My duty is to keep the Princess safe. I would not make decisions that would only risk the safety of my Princess."

"i will be fine," Yellow said. "I can not sit and do nothing while my uncle is still in Giovanni's grasp. This is the least I can do to help, and I want to help."

"... I understand," Lance finally said. "If that's what you wish for, then I have no right to deny it. The road to Blackthorn, however, will be hazardous. Please make sure you stay by my side no matter what happened."

"Don't worry, General, I'll keep her safe." Red smiled.

"My Prince, how about the Soul Key?" Green asked. "Are you going to carry it along with you?"

"Of course," Red nodded. "I can't leave it here... I know Goldenrod is safe, but this Soul Key is my responsbility. I will not fail my mother."

"Very well then..." Green bowed, "I'll go and get ready..."

* * *

It was quiet late at night when Yellow exited her room, along with her Chuchu in tow. She looked around the dark corridor for a moment, before she walked towards the castle's inner garden.

The garden is not as big as the one in her home, but it's still filled with many beautiful flowers. On the center of the garden is a small fountain, which continuously spring out fresh water into the air. Yellow smiled as she sat down by the fountain, enjoying the coolness of the night and the soft voice of the blowing wind.

"Princess Amarillo."

She never thought someone would catch her so quickly. She tore her gaze away from the fountain, and turned her head around, where her gaze quickly met that of her own General. Her whole body tensed. "General Lance...?"

"You are supposed to rest," he calmly spoke. "Tomorrow is going to be a long journey..."

"I know that..." she replied as she looked away. "Please stop bothering me, I can take care of myself."

"I am only worried about you, Princess..."

She reached down into the pool of cold water, dipping the tip of her fingers and shivering as she did so. The night is silent, once again, it reminds her of the time when she escaped from the Viridian Castle with him. The silence, however, isn't as unsettling as the present. She thought he's going to leave, but after a while, she realized that he's not going to leave until she does.

"... I gave it some thought..." she suddenly broke the silence with her words. "I tried to put myself in your position, and think of the night you saved me from the castle. I was shaken and scared, unconsciously, I tried blaming it on you. I'm sorry for all the cruel things I've accused you of."

"You have done nothing wrong, Princess..."

"Prince Red... He helped me realized that I shouldn't go and blame you for doing your duty. He also mentioned I've been acting strangely around you... Have I really done that?"

"I can't tell for sure." Lance was reminded of what Blue said earlier, but then decided that informing the Princess about it won't do her any good.

"When I see Prince Red being so considerate to Sir Green, I can't help but to feel ashamed. I've said horrible things to you. I'm really sorry..."

"Milady... I am but a knight, all I have towards you is the sense of duty I must uphold at all cost."

"... I'm grateful to know that," she suddenly picked up her Chuchu. "I'll see you in the morning, Lance..."

"Rest well, Princess Amarillo..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey, thank you for reading!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review.**

**With Love,**

**Elera-chan.**


	5. Fallen Spirit

**The Princess and the Knight**

The morning soon arrives, and the small group is about to leave. They're now only missing one more person, which is none other than the spy, Blue. The young spy mentioned about gathering a few information before they leave, at least they have to know what lies ahead of them in the journey. However, the news she brought back is truly unexpected.

"The Saffron soldiers are now marching towards Blackthorn as we speak." Blue revealed.

"What? Already?" Prince Red looks surprised.

Blue nodded, a grim look pasted on her face. "Some of my connections contact me this morning... The Pallet Castle... It's conquered, and now they're going for the Blackthorn Castle next..."

Red knew that this is going to happen, but he never thought that it's going to happen this soon. No, this is too soon. How many men does Giovanni have? Will he not stop and take a break? Even if they are to march to Blackthorn now, they will be doing nothing but to deliver the Soul Key to the enemy.

"What about my mother? Is she alright?" Red asked hastily.

Blue fixed her gaze onto the ground, eyes filled with sadness. "My Prince... They... Found... Her body... In the throne room... She's... No longer..."

Red stared for a moment, wide-eyed, before turning his gaze away from them. "I need a few private moment..." his voice is shaking, yet no one dare to speak. He left without another word.

Red knew the moment he left the castle that this is coming. However, a small part of him had hoped that her mother would be spared, much like the King Wilton. The small hope which has been betrayed is what's causing him to feel so powerless.

They don't have much choice now. The Saffron Soldiers are moving towards Blackthorn. If Queen Chrishel is willing to send reinforcement, they might make it in time, however, that would only leave the Goldenrod defenseless.

For many centuries, they have neglected the growth of their armed forces and focused more on the development of knowledge. Suspicion for the neighboring Kingdom didn't exists, and thus nobody realized that the Saffron has trained and gathered so many men. When Saffron strike so suddenly like this, of course the unprepared will crumble to bits. This is inevitable, but still... They're fighting.

"Mother..." Red restrained his tears, knowing that this is not over yet. They have to come up with something, quickly. He can't fall now, the fate of peace rest on his shoulder.

While Red mourns for the death of his mother, Blue informed the rest of what she heard to the others.

"Does anyone knows about the story of the three elemental birds?" Blue was the first to break the silence after Red left.

"... I do," Yellow replied. "They said that three powerful bird Pokemon of ice, thunder and fire used to fight in the skies over Saffron a hundred years ago. It wasn't until another, more powerful being appeared and stopped their fight..."

"The thunder bird is called Zapdos," Blue nodded approvingly. "The ice bird is called Articuno, and the fire bird is called Moltres."

"So? What does that legend have to do with our current situation?" Green asked, however, his eyes suddenly widened with realization. "Don't tell me..."

"Those three birds are witnessed attacking the Pallet Castle..." Blue stated. "At first, I don't believe it myself, however, four of my most trusted connections said the same thing. There's no doubt about it... The reason as to why King Giovanni becomes so confident about his power is because of those Pokemon..."

"Impossible," Yellow breathed out in fear.

"There's no denying it," Blue closed her eyes. "Those three legendary Pokemon resides in Saffron territory. They are hard to reach, but not impossible... King Giovanni must have took control of those legendary Pokemon and use it to his own advantage..."

Green curled his fists, obviously frustrated by the idea of how strong the Saffron forces are. He doesn't want to believe that its true, but that story just explained so many things.

"Lance..." Yellow glanced at him. "When they attacked Viridian... Did you...?"

"I thought it was only my imagination..." Lance replied. "It was fleeting, barely lasted for a moment. However, I saw it... Burning, flying across our sky... It was... Moltres..."

"Why didn't you tell me about it earlier?" Yellow asked.

"I deeply apologize, Princess... I never thought King Giovanni would be capable of doing such thing..."

"Well, that's not the problem now..." Blue sighed. "We're out-powered and outnumbered. We can't go to Blackthorn now, but still... We have to do something to stop this madness. There has to be another way to win this war..."

"Then how about the three Legendary beasts of Goldenrod?" A mysterious voice suddenly resounded throughout the front hall. Yellow and everyone else turned their gaze to the speaker of that line.

He was a young man, probably only a few years younger compared to Prince Red. He wore formal clothing which is made up a stiff-looking white outfit and a white cape. His raven hair looks quiet unkempt, and his amber eyes glints with a child-like eagerness. On his shoulder, a purple small Pokemon with huge tail perched, a huge smile spread across its face.

"Prince Gold," Blue gasped. "What are you doing out here?"

"It's nice to see you again, Blue," the Prince simply. "It's been such a long time, I know. But you have no reason to be so surprised, am I right?"

"... I'm sorry," Blue finally replied.

"Princess Amarillo," Gold smiled as he reached for her hand and gently kissed the back of her palm. "You are indeed much more charming than what the rumors said. It's a blessing to be able to see you, your eyes definitely shine brighter than any stars I've seen on the sky..."

"Thank you, Prince Gold, it's a pleasure to meet you as well." Yellow gently pulled her hand away as so not to offend him. "You said something about... Legendary... Beasts?"

The young prince smiled. "Yes, just like Saffron, in Goldenrod, there exists three Legendary beasts. Legend claims that they were born from the ashes of three different Pokemon who died during a great fire. I've heard many men talking about how those three still roams around the Goldenrod territory even until today. If we can tame them, then we might stand a chance against Saffron, yes?"

"That's impossible," Blue said. "The three Legendary roams around the Kingdom as they please. Finding them will be a hard task..."

"Not to worry," Gold replied. "Father Morty and I have discussed it through. He agreed to help me out."

"Father Morty...?" Blue stared at him, "Is he...?"

"Yes, he is Father Pryce's successor...Not only is he capable of treating sicknesses, he is endowed with a very special ability... With his help, I'm sure we can find those Legendary Beasts."

"If you really can find them, how are you going to tame them?" Green questioned. "They are Legendary Pokemon, king Giovanni must've found a way to do it without the least amount of resistance, but you..."

"I believe in the good heart of Pokemon," Gold said confidently. "But rest assure, what I will do is my business... You have nothing to worry about..."

"Then what are we to do now?" Green asked. "Going to Blackthorn would be useless. Blackthorn is sure to fall, they will stand no chance against against the three legendary birds."

"Blackthorn is a powerful Kingdom," Gold said. "Full of trained mages and dragon riders. Bruno, the famed Titan, served the Queen as well. If we send reinforcement, I believe we stand a chance..."

"So the Queen is still going to send reinforcement?" Blue sounded surprised. "But that would leave Goldenrod defenseless."

"This is not the time to be selfish," Gold replied. "Blackthorn needs our help, and we're going to do our best to help them. This war is not something we can win just by being selfish. We have to know when to do the right thing. For now, why don't you rest and enjoy? I am sure the Goldenrod royal garden will leave a very deep impression in your heart..."

Gold then turn around and left...

* * *

Late in the afternoon, Blue and Green watched from quiet a distance as all the knights of Goldenrod prepare to leave for Blackthorn.

"I have a very bad feeling about this..." Blue commented as she watched General Chuck shouting out orders to his men.

"... So do I..." Green nodded.

"I trust the Prince's plan to gather the legendary beasts, however, the Queen's decision to send reinforcement... I can not help but to doubt it. We know very little about the situation in Blackthorn..."

"Yes, I agree..."

"I'm just glad that Silver is going off with the Prince..." Blue mumbled this line to herself.

Meanwhile, as two exchange a friendly banter, Princess Amarillo and her knight are taking a quiet stroll through the garden, as Gold has suggested. She has to admit that the Goldenrod's royal garden is indeed captivating. The flowers of so many vibrant colors bloom brightly along their way. This bring a rare smil back to the Princess' face.

Lance stayed quiet as he follows her. He feels slightly uncomfortable about the idea of having to follow her everywhere she goes, but then decided that it is for the best. Even though Goldenrod is safe, he can't be sure of what lurks in the dark corners. It may harm the Princess for all he knows.

Her golden hair is still looking so smooth and soft despite all the rough night they have went through the past few days. Since the first time he laid his eyes on her, he could never ignore that beautiful hair that glimmers under the sun and gently frames her lovely face. And since that time, whenever she's in his field of vision, he can never takes his eyes off her.

How long has it been since he started serving the Viridian castle? Five years? Yes, for five years, he had been staring at her back, watching over her as she basks under the sunlight in the garden of the Viridian Castle – the sight of which often leaves him paralyzed for a moment or two. She never realized that he's there, she's always oblivious to everything around her, but that's what makes him want to protect her even more.

"... I'm very scared..." Yellow suddenly said as her slender fingers reached out to stroke the petals of the daffodils. "I keep on thinking about what will happen to me if Blackthorn falls, and if Goldenrod is under attack..."

Lance kept quiet, not knowing whether he should reply to her statement or not.

"War is such a terrible thing... What does King Giovanni sees in this, I wonder..."

"... Princess," Lance finally replied. "Please do not worry, I will do everything in my power to protect you..."

"... I feel grateful to have you by my side." Yellow finally replied after a moment of silence. "To hear you speak, even if they are false promises, makes me feel more at ease."

"... I understand that you find it hard to trust my words," Lance said. "But... I never intend to speak false promises."

She kept quiet as she moves on forward.

"How can you be so sure that you can protect me?" she suddenly stopped and turned around to look at him. "What we're going to face later on will be overwhelmingly inhuman. You can't protect me, not from them. You will die..." she whispered out the last line in horror.

"If I can't protect you, then I will have to take you away once more."

Her eyes widened, not expecting that kind of answer to come from him.

"Nonsense," she quickly gave her back to him. "We can't run away forever. They will find us, they will catch up to us..."

"They won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I will take you to place much safer than this land. A place where no one can find us... I will not stop until we find that place..."

Yellow could feel her heart skipping a beat and the butterflies flying madly in her stomach. She took in a few deep breaths in order to calm herself down, before saying, "What if I don't want to run? What if I want to fight here with the others until the bitter end?"

"... I am your servant, and you are my liege," Lance closed his eyes. "If you want me to take you away, then I will take you away. If you want me to fight, then I will fight... Just say the words, and it will be done. As long as you know what you want to do, then I have no right to deny your wish."

"... Are you really willing to give up your life for this selfish Princess?"

"You are not a selfish Princess, you are the Princess of Viridian... From the day we left the safety of Viridian, my life is already yours, my Princess..."

"... I am very glad to have you here, Lance..." she whispered that line very quietly, before suddenly proceeding on her own way. Her knight follows her close behind, face still as stoic as ever.

Somehow, for some reason, Yellow feels safe again after such a long time...

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Some more fluff for the fans out there .**

**If I remember about the manga, I'll feel really creeped out by my own writing. I mean, with Lance being so OOC and with all the things that happened between them in the manga, no one would have probably write something like this. God, I know I'm weird...**

**I'm going to update the next chapter soon, so please stay tune!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review!**

**With love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


	6. A New Challange

**The Princess and the Knight**

"The Queen of Blackthorn requested our presence?" Red asked, looking quiet surprised when he heard the news brought by the messenger from Blackthorn.

"Yes," the Queen nodded. "I believe she has a request to ask of you... She would not disclose of the matter in this letter, but I am convinced that it is very urgent. I may not know the Queen very much, however in this war, we should help out each other as best as we can, yes?"

"Then, we should leave for Blackthorn immediately," Yellow said.

"I will arrange several Pokemon to take you," Queen Chrishel stated. "And several of my men to escort you there. If my sources are correct, then you will have two more days before the Saffron forces arrive in Blackthorn. Make haste, and please be safe."

That afternoon, each of them are provided with a Rapidash to ride to the Blackthorn castle.

"Ah!" Yellow cried out in surprise when the Rapidash suddenly tried to dismount her.

Lance quickly rushed to her side and tried to calm down the beast. "Princess, do not pull too hard on the rein..." he advised. "Hold it gently..."

"T-Thank you..." Yellow mumbled when the fire horse finally calms down.

It took her a few moments, before she's finally able to control the Rapidash with ease. Lance patiently guide her, and soon enough, her hands are steady enough to control the rein. After their short lesson is done, the group all ride together towards the Blackthorn castle, escorted by some of the Queen's men. The ride was short, they soon arrived in Blackthorn by the late evening.

As they entered the castle vicinity, Yellow can't help but to notice that somehow, something is giving off a very omnious feeling. Something just doesn't feel right. She glanced at her comrades, who look undisturbed by this fact, except for general Lance – whose stoic expression persist throughout the whole journey.

As Blue, Green, Lance and their escorts led the Pokemon away to be kept in the stable, Red and Yellow both were quickly ushered to the throne room, where they're soon greeted by the Queen of Blackthorn.

She's a beautiful woman, as one can quickly tell. She wore the royal outfit, which consist of a beautiful ice-blue dress that gently wraps around her slender figure, embroidered with sophisticated black pattern. Her eyes were deep crimson, glittering with an undefinable complexion, and her golden hair gracefully curls and rest on her shoulders.

"Prince Red, Princess Amarillo," she fleeted towards them. "Thank you for coming all the way here."

"Not at all, my Queen," Red offered a polite bow. "I am glad to be able to offer you my humble service."

"Thank you, Red," the Queen offered him a smile. "Now, I need to speak to you about the Soul Keys... As you know, Giovanni's intention is to destroy them, am I correct?"

"Yes, it is true," Yellow confirmed. "The Viridian's Soul Key is destroyed, and we know nothing about the Saffron's Soul Key. All that remains is the Pallet, Goldenrod, and Blackthorn..."

"The Pallet's Soul Key, is it with you right now, Red?"

"Yes, I have it right here," Red said as he took out a red box from his satchel.

"... Do me a favor, Prince Red. Hand over the Soul Key to me..."

* * *

"This is strange..." Blue commented as she looked around the field.

"Oh, so even you noticed?" Green asked as he took a step back, voice hinting a note of sarcasm.

The Goldenrod soldiers all huddle close together with their weapons raised, ready to fight when needed. Lance looked around, counting the numbers of the soldiers of the enemy's side. They are obviously outnumbered, and completely surrounded. Lance looked down at the enemy he just brought down with his knife, knowing that it won't stop with just one death.

"Where is General Chuck? And the reinforcement team?" one of the Goldenrod soldiers asked loudly at the enemy.

"Don't worry," the enemy's Commander smirked, "As soon as the Queen is done with the Prince and Princess, you will all join the-" his words were abruptly cut-off when a sharp knife suddenly buried itself into his left eyes.

Shocked, everybody turned their gaze to the culprit behind that attack.

Lance could only glare in return, "I need to see my Princess. So move out of the way... Now."

* * *

"What...?" Red blinked, not able to believe what he just heard.

Yellow suddenly felt nervous. Something is not right, it becomes more and more apparent by the second. The loud fighting from the outside could only further confirm her worst fear.

Suddenly, the door of the throne room slammed open.

"Milord, this is a trap!" Green shouted.

Red gasped, not liking the sight of blood on the side of Green's face. "Green!"

"Run!" Green ordered loudly, however just then, a long, slender beast suddenly appeared from behind and coiled its body around Green. The Dragonair tightened its grip, before sending Green flying towards the dark corner of the throne room as hard as it could.

Red turned to look at the Queen, "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh please, do not bear any grudges against me," the Queen said. "I am merely adapting to changes. We cannot win against the Saffron forces, but we can adapt and join them. At least, its better than having to fight a futile fight."

"You don't understand!" Yellow exclaimed. "If all the Soul Keys are destroyed, then evil will be reawakened! A great disaster will consume this land! You can't do this!"

"if that truly happens..." The Queen closes her eyes. "Then Blackthorn will be spared. Don't you understand? There's no point in fighting changes. It will only cause deaths and sufferings. As the Queen, I do not wish to fight, I only wish to save my people..."

"So you're going to give up the Pallet's Soul Key to Giovanni as a prove of your alliagence?" Red frowned, Pika suddenly jumped down from his shoulder, teeth dangerously bared at the Dragonair creeping closer and closer to his master.

"Yes..." The Queen nodded. "I am only doing this to save my people..."

"You... What a simple-minded Queen you are..." Red said as he took a cautious step back. "You think you are only protecting your people, but if King Giovanni succeeded, then... The world, everything you were trying to protect, it will all be destroyed."

"How can you be so sure?" The Queen questioned.

"... We're leaving," Red gave her one last look, before turning to his Pokemon, "Pika! Let's get out of here!" He then ran over to Green and picked him up.

"Prince... Red..." Green coughed. "Abandon me... Save... Yourself..."

"Hold your tongue!" Red ordered. "We're leaving! All of us! Where is Blue, and Lance?"

"Out... Outside... They're... Surrounded by... The soldiers..."

Pika suddenly let out a powerful electric attack, which directly hits the Dragonair. Chuchu got to his side and helped by launching attacks on the incoming soldiers.

"Princess, let's go!" Red turned to look at the Princess, however, he was stupefied when he saw that the Queen is holding the Princess captive.

The Queen pressed the blade against Yellow's tender skin. "Do not fight back... Tell them to stop," she said as she glanced at the two small Pokemon.

Red cursed in his mind, "Pika, Chuchu... Come here..."

The two Pokemon somehow understood the situation and quickly got to Red's side, both baring their small fangs at the Queen.

"Now, Red..." The Queen said. "Give me the Pallet's Soul Key..."

"Prince Red, don't do it!" Yellow let out a muffled plea, despite feeling scared to death, she knows that she can't let another Soul Key gets destroyed just because of her own weakness. "Don't!"

Red hesitated for a few moment, before he gently laid down Green onto the ground, and slowly withdrawing the red box from his satchel. He moved cautiously as he eyed the Queen, not liking the current situation.

"Princess!" Lance suddenly entered the room, along with Blue and some of the Goldenrod Soldiers in tow.

The Queen's attention turned to that man, and quickly, her eyes widened with shock. She pulled Yellow closer to her as she took a step back, "... You!" she sounded terrified for no good reason. "You..."

In the background, the remaining Goldenrod soldiers are trying to hold back the Blackthron soldiers, its obvious that they are losing. Blue ran over to Green's side, somewhat looking concerned and upset.

"You... It can't be..." The Queen venomously hissed. "Why are you here?"

"... I do not know what you're talking about," Lance coldly replied. "However, I will kindly request you to let go of the Princess..."

The Queen pressed the blade against Yellow's neck with much greater force than before, causing the young blonde girl to writhe in discomfort and pain. "You are not supposed to come back, you are not supposed to be here... Lay down your sword or I will hurt her!"

"Let go of the Princess..." Lance repeated with a much lower, threatening voice.

His usually-stoic expression changed. His eyes dangerously narrowed and the gentleness gone. His voice made even Yellow shudder, she felt something so powerfully frightening about this man she knew. No, this man is not the General who has been staying by her side through all the trials, this is a different man, one that only wishes to do something horrible.

"Lay down your weapon!" the Queen shouted, somewhat agitated by her opponent. She pressed the blade harder against her neck, causing Yellow's skin to break and oozes blood. "Now!"

"Lance! Behind you!"

* * *

"_I have worked so hard to rebuild this Kingdom from ruins, and now you're telling me that the rightful successor of this throne is not Clair, my daughter?"_

"_Queen Ruthella, I know that this is hard for you to accept, but the rightful successor has been decided ever since the first child of the deceased King is born. His son is the rightful successor."_

"_For many years ever since he left, I have build this Kingdom, maintain peace and govern the people with wisdom! And now you're saying that I have to give up this throne to a child who I did not give birth to?"_

"_... It has been decided. I'm sorry, my Queen."_

"_No, I can't let this happen! Clair is the rightful successor! She inherits my wisdom, she will bring Blackthorn to glory! How do you expect me to trust that rebellious boy? Look at him! He is nothing like Clair! I can not let that devil's child inherit the throne!"_

"_... What are you going to do about it, my Queen?"_

_The woman gaze out of the window, at the red-haired boy who's practicing his sword fight with the General. The boy paused for a moment, then look up from the ground to meet her gaze. She frowned as her heart constricted with hatred towards those golden eyes..._

"_Get rid of that boy..."_

* * *

"Chuchu, do it!" Red ordered, and the little yellow Pokemon suddenly launch a small attack to hurt the Queen's arm.

The Queen yelped out in pain as she jumped back and let go of Yellow, who quickly scrambled up to her feet and ran towards where her knight lays.

Lance groaned as he rubbed his head, his vision was blurry for a moment, but then slowly, he could make out the shape of a very large Pokemon right before him. When he finally realized what creature he's facing, his hands automatically reached for his belt, however, he was surprised to find that he has not a single knife or even a sword.

"Lance!" Yellow knelled down by his side.

"Princess!" Lance grabbed her shoulders and quickly pushed her down, effectively avoiding the mighty punch the orange Pokemon aimed on him.

"Pika, attack!" Red ordered his Pokemon this time.

Pika quickly jumped onto the Dragonite's back and zapped it all with all his might. The Dragon Pokemon roared in pain, however, and tried to desperately shake Pika off. Its might wings knock over some of the decorations placed in the throne room, creating a huge mess out of everything.

Lance grabbed one of the spare sword he found lying on the floor, before pulling her Princess closer to him and stood facing all the enemy's soldiers coming to his way. On the other side of the room, Prince Red and Blue both are both standing side-by-side, watching each other's back while they tried to protect the injured Green.

"You..." the Queen hissed dangerously as she picked up another sword from the ground and stood before Lance. Her eyes dangerously glints with a malicious intent, though the fierceness is nothing compared to the one Yellow saw before in Lance's eyes. "You are not even supposed to be alive!" she screamed, before suddenly turning to attack him with all her might.

For a woman, Lance has to admit that the Queen is indeed one formidable opponent, but she's still nothing compared to what he had been facing for the last ten years. With one trained swing of his sword, he quickl disarmed the Queen, "I don't know what you're talking about..." Lance finally said. "But, I will not let your hurt my Princess..."

"You..." the Queen spitefully glare as she took a step back.

"Mother!" a loud voice suddenly rang throughout the throne room. "What is going on? Stop this at once!" and as soon as she said those words, several Dragonair suddenly appeared and stopped the fighting by separating the opposing forces.

The whole room fell silent, everybody suddenly froze. Prince Red observed the newcomer for a moment, wondering who she might be.

"Clair!" the Queen said out her name, somehow sounding very surprised. "You're back!"

"Mother, these people are the reinforcement soldiers from Goldenrod, am I right? So why are you attacking them? What is going on?"

".. Clair, you are not supposed to be back..." the Queen looks troubled. "What are you doing here?"

"When I heard about the Saffron forces attacking the neighboring Kingdoms, I quickly came home," Clair replied. "I never thought that I would come home to this... Mother, what is the meaning of this?"

"Princess Clair!" a huge man suddenly appeared by her side. Blue quickly recognized this man as the famed Titan of Blackthorn, General Bruno. "I have neutralized the situation outside, what are your orders now?"

"... Mother," Clair's eyes narrowed, "Were you planning to give up the Soul Key to King Giovanni?"

"Clair," the Queen looks displeased. "I am doing this for our people, you are my daughter, you have to understand how much I care about our people!"

"You are not saving your people!" Clair raised her voice. "For many years, we have been protecting the Soul Key in the name of honor as dragon tamers! And now you want us to betray the trusts of our ancestors by doing this?"

"The ancestors would want to protect the people as well!"

"The people do not need to be protected by such a weak Queen!" Clair growled in return. "We are the Kingdom of the dragons... To give up before we even try fighting... You are only crushing our pride as dragon tamers!"

"Your pride as a dragon tamer does not keep you alive!" the Queen retorted. "It does nothing but kill you! I thought you'll learn after what happen to your father... You are just like him!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Clair's tone turn challenging. "Are you going to try and kill me too? Just like what you did to my step-brother Wataru?"

The Queen, for a split of a second, nervously look at Lance, before turning to her daughter again. "How dare you speak such foul words in front of me? You ungrateful child!"

"... Mother, I'm going to take the Blackthorn's Soul Key, and I'm going to protect it..." she then turned her attention to Prince Red. "You are the Prince of Pallet, am I mistaken?"

"Not at all..." Red replied, though he still has his guard on.

"Forgive me for this whole mess," Clair bowed her head to apologize. "Please do trust that I have no intention of hurting you. Unlike my mother, my only wish is to fight Giovanni and his forces."

"... I see..." Red nodded, however, his stance can only prove that he still can no trust her.

Clair sighed, before turning back to her mother, however, that's when she caught a glimpse of Lance. She focused her gaze to him, and blinked twice. "You're..." she whispered more to herself than anybody else. "Alive...?"

Yellow glanced up at the General, wondering what's truly going on. Why is the Queen and the Princess acting so strangely towards Lance? Do they know him?

Lance, on the other hand, does not betray a single emotion on his face. After the fight, he regains his stoic composure once again, and he looks rather determined to keep it longer this time. He did not say a word as Clair stared at her with a look of disbelief.

"Wataru...?"

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Okay guys, sorry for the delay, but now allow me to present chapter 6!**

**Okay, who has seen Lance's background story coming out like this? Hands up if you do!**

**I guess this story turns out to be one big cliche-themed story, eh? Well, I'm not going to cry over spilled milk now. I've written this story, and I'm going to see it to the end.**

**"But you have numerous incomplete stories!"**

**Oh shut up! Don't make me cry, please!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review!**

**With Love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


	7. Fight or Escape

**The Princess and the Knight**

"Wataru...?" Clair took a step forward. "Is that... You?"

Blue nearly dropped her sword. She couldn't believe it herself.

Wataru is the name given to the first born son of the King. When the King died, he disappeared, or at least that's what the public is told. As a spy, Blue knows better. Prince Wataru was assassinated by the orders of the Queen. Blue is one of the few who know about this truth.

So, why is Princess Clair calling General Lance with that name? Is it possible that...? It can't be, and yet, the Queen's previous reaction can only further confirm her suspicion. And besides, if Blue recall correctly, Lance had mentioned about not being able to remember his past. If that's the case then perhaps... Just maybe...

"... My name's Lance, a General of the Viridian Kingdom," Lance replied calmly, seeming unfazed by the possibilities.

"No, you must be him!" Clair swiftly approached him. "Yes... Your eyes, its enough prove! I know of no one else who has that face and those eyes except for my step-brother, Wataru!"

This was nonetheless a huge shock to everyone in the room. The General, however, still has yet to show any kind of reaction.

"Oh, I knew you survived!" Clair offered him a small smile. "I knew you were alive... Brother..."

"... Lance," Yellow finally spoke when the General pause for a moment too long. "Is it... True? Are you... Really... The Prince of Blackthorn...?" she looked at him in the eyes.

He stare back for a moment, before finally replying, "I... Will not lie to you, my Princess..." he took in a deep breath, before finally answering, "What I was before I came to serve you, does not matter to me any longer. However, if you really wish to know the truth... Then as your faithful servant, I will not deny your wish."

"... Lance..." Yellow sighed. "So then... It's true..."

"What?" Blue nearly shouted. "Impossible!"

"Wataru, I know you will return," Clair smiled. "You don't need to be ashamed, brother. You are the Prince, you are the rightful successor of the throne, you need not lie and pretend that you have forgotten. We have been waiting, for a very long time, for you to return..."

"He's a Prince?" Red asked, looking as surprised as Blue.

"I did not step into this place as a Prince," Lance turned his attention to Clair. "I am here as the General of Viridian. I am here to protect my Princess... From the very beginning, I have no intention to return here as a Prince, none at all."

"so, you never planned on returning?" Clair asked. "Brother! This Kingdom, this throne, those men, everything is yours ever since the day you were born! You can not just mindlessly throw them away!"

"Pardon me for being so rude, however..." Lance look in the direction of the Queen for a moment. "The Queen wishes you to take over. Neither you nor I can deny the wish of the woman who had protected thes Kingdom for the last fifteen years."

The Queen looks quiet displeased by the unexpected turn of events, however, decided to remain silent.

"You're talking nonsense!"

However just then, a soldier suddenly came running into the room.

"M-My Queen! The Saffron soldiers is here! They have arrived!"

Clair turn to look at her mother, "I am going to protect the Soul Key... You can do whatever you want to do. Prince Red! Please come with me!" she said as she led the way towards the dark corner of the room, not far from the throne. She then lift the rug and revealed a hidden trap door beneath.

"Brother, Princess Yellow..." she said. "Please come with me too. Our priority now is to save the Blackthorn Soul Key. Let's put aside our personal matters for now and let us work together..."

She then lifted the trap door with all her might. Suddenly, all her dragonair, which had been holding off the guard, approached her and hovers obidiently right next to her.

"Come with me..." Clair tried to convince with her looks.

Red hesitated for a few moments, gaze alternating between Clair and the Queen. He then sighed, knowing that they have no other choice. They can't say no, the Saffron forces is outside, there's no way they can win the fight against an entire army.

"Very well," he said as he picked up Green and helped the injured knight stand. "Let us make haste..."

* * *

The tunnel which is supposed to lead them outside the castle is large, dark and murky. The ceiling is quiet low, Bruno needs to bend his head eery now and then to avoid hitting his head against the rocks jutting out. However, it is wide enough for them not to feel so cramped, especially after considering the extra four dragonair Clair has. Near the entrance, there are two torches, which is the only thing they have now to illuminate all the way through the long, winding tunnel.

As they walk, Clair and Red exchange informations, each telling in great details what they know of the current situation, which is not much to begin with.

"King Giovanni lost his wife and son many years ago..." Clair said as they keep on walking. "Many believed he changed after that... He became a lonely, silent man who will isolate himself in his chamber for days."

"I have heard of that rumor as well," Blue nodded, "But, is it true?"

"I believe that its true," Clair nodded. "I've know King Giovanni, when I was younger, father often brought my brother and I to his castle. We would often meet and play with his son."

Yellow glanced up at Lance, who seems undisturbed by the fact that they have found out about his secret. In her mind, she keeps on wondering as to why Lance would hide about something this big, but then she realized that she actually knows nothing about him in the first place. Ever since they left the Viridian castle, they didn't talk to each other unless necessary, and even if they do talk about personal matters, it would only be about her.

Lance has always been so formal and mysterious. He only said what needs to be said and rarely babbles off about himself. His words were strictly formal and short, never for once used to express his wish, thought or desire. Has he always been this emotionally distant? How come she, after all these times, never notice?

"He changed, so much..." Clair continued. "His wife died due to a mysterious sickness. His son was kidnapped for unknown reasons. Those incident ought to do something to his sanity. I just never thought he would attempt to destroy the Soul Keys."

"Ah, Princess, the exit," Bruno suddenly said as he pointed at one bright point ahead.

"Ah, you're right..." Clair smiled.

As soon as they exited, they were quickly greeted by the sight of a small lake before them. Red looked around, before noticing that they have left the castle far behind. On the other side of the foggy lake, he could make out the shape of a cave.

"That is the Dragon's den, that's where the Blackthorn's Soul Key is hidden," Clair informed. "Only true descendant of the royal family can enter that den... It is guarded by a ferocious Pokemon who had been sleeping beside the Soul Key for the last five hundred years." she then turned to look at them. "I'll go retrieve it, meanwhile, Bruno, stay with them and keep them safe, understand?"

"Are you sure it's going to be alright?" Red asked.

"Don't worry, the dragon knows me," Clair assured. "I'll be back in –" her words were abruptly cut-off when a huge shadow suddenly falls upon them. A loud screech soon follows, and despite being nervous, everyone turned their gaze up to the sky.

The flying object responsible for casting the huge shadow is none other than a gigantic blue bird that is now soaring through the sky. It loudly let out a screech, before suddenly flying in circles above them, and through that gesture, everyone realizes that they have been discovered.

"Articuno!" Blue took a nervous step back. "It's here! They've found us!"

"Curses!" Clair hissed, "We have no other choice but to fight back..."

"No! We need to run!" Blue argued. "We can't win against that monster!"

"We have no place to run to!" Clair returned. "We can't run! We can't hide! We have to fight!"

Suddenly, the Articuno heavily descended before them, its weight causing the earth to shake. It open its wings wide, before screeching out again, and finally tucking its wing properly. A silhouette emerges on top of Articuno's head.

"Well, well, what do we have here...?" the woman smirked. "Prince Red, Princess Clair, and look! Even Princess Amarillo. This is surely my lucky day..."

Lance quickly recognized that violet-haired woman. She's on the enemy's side during the attack on Viridian castle. If he recalled correctly, her name is Sabrina, a magic wielder. When he first laid eyes on her, he can quickly tell that she's not the kind of enemy to be underestimated.

Sabrina chuckled darkly as she pushed the heavy black robe away, and revealed the many magic items she has in her belt. "I will bring you to Lord Giovanni... He will be very pleased with me..."

"Nola, Sora, Lute, Rune!" Clair called out the name of all her Dragonair. "Prepare to fight!"

"You can not win against me, Princess!" Sabrina laughed, "I am Sabrina, the strongest Mage in the Saffron Kingdom! With Articuno by my side, nothing can stop me!"

"Princess!" Bruno suddenly alerted. "Saffron Soldiers on the south! They've caught up to us!"

Clair cursed, "They're quick..." she then turned to the group. "Go, into the Dragon's den! Save the Soul Key! Save yourselves!"

Red suddenly took out the red box containing the Pallet's Soul Key from his satchel. He then turned to Yellow and handed it over to her. "Princess, forgive me for being so selfish, however... I wish to stay here and fight. Please, take this with you, I am sure you can keep it safe from harm. Blue, take Green and go with them!"

"But, my Pr-" Blue was about to cry out in protest, however, she was quickly cut short when the fight commence. Articuno's wing created a huge wave that could have send them lfying off the ground.

Yellow was stupefied for a moment, but then she realized that if she stays, she's only going to cause trouble. She then glanced at Red, then at Lance, "We need to go!"

Lance nodded, however, before they can do anything else, he suddenly pushed the young blonde girl to the ground. Yellow cried out in pain due to surprise. But she soon regain herself, and was nontheless surprised to find an arrow now embedded to Lance's left shoulder. The General grunted in pain as he grabbed the arrow and roughly pulled it out, causing blood to splatter out like water.

"Lance!" Yellow cried out in alert.

"Don't try to run..." all of a sudden, a huge fire bird appears right in front of them. "It's futile." The male rider jumped down from the fire bird's back, hand holding a slender, metallic bow. "I am Koga, the best archer in Saffron." He drew another arrow from his back, and aim it at Lance with his bow, "You are quick, I'm impressed, you can save the Princess in such condition. As expected from the Demon Knight."

Yellow nervously stood up as she huddled close to Lance. The General remains calm, yet there's an obvious feeling of distress that he's giving off.

Koga laughed, before saying, "You have nowhere to run... With Articuno and Moltres by our side, you stand no chance. Hand over the Pallet's Soul Key... And I promised that I will grant you a quick, painless death."

"Not a chance!" Clair suddenly intefered when she noticed that Koga is there as well, "Wataru! Take Sora and run!" one of her Dragonair then suddenly approaches them, and cried softly in alert.

"Blue! Green!" Yellow turned the the spy and knight, urging them to quickly come along.

"Abandon us, Princess," Blue smirked nervously as she drew out her blade. Green struggled to stand and unsheathe his sword. "We're going to hold him off... Save the Pallet's Soul Key!"

"No, I can't do that!" Yellow cried out in protest. "I can't leave you all behind!"

"Now's not the time to act brave..." Green heavily huffed. "For the sake of the Soul Key and the world... Go!" and without another word, the brave knight charges forward at Koga and engaged him in a swordfight. Blue joins in as well. Koga, however, proves to be quiet a formidable opponent.

"Lance! We can't leave them behind!" Yellow shouted as she glanced at Clair and Red, who are both dealing with Moltres, Articuno and Sabrina. "We need to do something, we need to help them!"

Lance stared at the Princess for a moment, before finally saying, "We need to go..."

"No! There must be something we can do!"

Lance looked into the Princess' eyes for a moment, searching for something, anything that could give him the permission to grab her and quickly run away from this horrific battlefield. However, when he cannot find any sign of such thing, he has no other choice...

"Come with me, I know of a way to help them..." Lance approached Clair's Dragonair and rubbed its head gently, before letting out his hand to her.

Yellow glanced once again at the battlefield, before taking his hand. "I believe in you... I trust you... So please, don't fail me."

"... I will never fail you, my Princess..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I'm thinking of writing a new grantedshipping fic. It'll be AU - highschool, big surprise - and kind of twisted in some way. If you're interested, tell me, then I'll post it up sooner than expected!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review!**

**With Love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


	8. The Guardian

**The Princess and the Knight**

Lance helped her to get onto Dragonair, and soon, they were speeding off in the direction of the Dragon's Den. Yellow wondered what it is that he has in store of her, but she cannot comprehend what kind of plan he has. She could never understand him, she barely knows him at all. She would have been ashamed to think about it, if it wasn't for the predicament they're in right now.

Inside, the cave is dark and murky. It feels damp and humid, Yellow felt slightly uncomfortable. Dragonair soon landed onto the ground the moment they entered the den, and Lance once again helped her to get down from Dragonair.

"... What are you going to do now, Lance?" Yellow curiously asked. The sound of battle coming from outside is making her truly nervous.

Lance's gaze fell upon the tunnel that leads deep into the den. "Once, a long time ago, I was told that the Dragon Pokemon guarding this den is the same dragon that accompanies one of the five Heroes of Light..."

"You mean the hero in the legend? The ones that fought against the Demon King?"

Lance nodded, "The Heroes passed away hundreds of years ago, however... Dragons have a longer lifespan than humans. And this dragon living in this den... Isolated and undisturbed, it has been sleeping for the past centuries, waiting for the day it will be called back into the battlefield..."

The orb of the Dragonair's neck suddenly glowed brightly on the wave of Lance's hand. He then led the way deeper into the den. Yellow realized what Lance is trying to do, and decided to keep quiet as they briskly walk towards the end of the den. At some point, the tunnel will split, however, Lance manuevered through as if he had known the route by heart. Soon enough, the finally came into a chamber.

Yellow took in the sight inside the chamber with great awe. In the middle of the room, there exists a strong pillar, with strange words carved all throughout. It stood strongly despite the vines that has grown around it. On the tall pillar, Yellow noticed something glowing with an odd white light.

"Is that...?" she asked as she turned to look at Lance.

Lance nodded as he looked up, "The Balckthorn's Soul Key..."

Yellow has never seen the Soul Key before. The Viridian's is destroyed already and Red has never revealed the content of the red box she's holding in her hand right now. She looked up in awe, captivated by how beautiful the glowing object looks. It's light is so warm, and its shining just like the stars in the night sky.

"Over there..." Lance pointed at the dark corner of the room. "The Guardian..."

Yellow turned her attention towards the corner, and slowly, she could make out the outline of a very large beast curling up there. She nearly gasped in shocked, its size may not be as big as the legendary birds, but its big enough to make her heart jump with fear.

And, as if it could hear her heartbeat, the creature suddenly opened its eyes. It's blue eyes glows dimly in the dark corner, like two precious blue gemstone, shimmering dangerously under the light of the Soul Key. It slowly rose, a low rumble can be heard coming from its chest. A pair of large, thin wings suddenly extends, majestically showing how powerful and refined it really is.

Lance suddenly stood before the Princess, "The Ancient Dragonite, Hellshire..." he said as he look at the beast in the eyes, unwavering from the intimidating aura the Pokemon is giving off. The ancient Dragonite stood at least twice taller than Lance, and its muscular body is thrice wider. Its wings, on closer looks, are slightly ragged, a prove of the long, hard battle it had been through.

Yellow then noticed that unlike the Dragonite she has seen before in the Blackthorn palace, this one is twice bigger and is oddly colored. Instead of the pale orange color, this Dragonite has a dark sooth color, and she could've sworn she's not imaging the burnt scent that lingers on the Pokemon like a perfume.

"Stay calm..." Lance soothing voice prevented Yellow from collapsing on her knees. "Hellshire may be scary, but he's a noble dragon. It's wiser and stronger. He should be able to feel the distress..."

The sooth-colored dragon leaned forward, obviously sniffing at Lance. It then moved, around the pillar, towards them. It's gigantic, monstrous feet cuases the ground to shake as it keeps on moving, taking one step after another. The tremor tingled Yellow's spine, making her even more nervous. She thought that this is a bad idea, but when she sees the look on Lance's face, she knows that he won't bring her here unless he knows what he's doing. With that in mind, she braced herself and stood as fearless as she could.

Hellshire brought its face closer to Lance, dangerously peering, yet Yellow noticed a hint of curiousity as well.

"A very dangerous man has awaken," Lance suddenly said, almost catching Yellow by surprise. It took her a few moment to realize that he's not talking to her. "His dream is to destroy all the Soul Key, including this one your master forged at the cost of his dear life..."

The dragonite seems to understand human's speech. It rumbles in displease as it turn its huge orb-like eyes towards the glowing Soul Key located on top of the pillar.

"We need your help..." Lance continued. "To stop them..."

The dragon roared in anger, before turning tis furious gaze at Lance. Its mighty tail unhappily swished from side to side, its wings flexed and twitched in response to his sudden change in mood.

"Lance..." Yellow meekly peeked from behind his shoulder. "Why is it in so much pain...?"

"Hellshire has gone through a lot in the battle five hundred years ago..." Lance calmly replied. "He had lost so many in the battle to free mankind. And now with Giovanni doing everything as he pleases, Hellshire is furious..."

Yellow eyed the dangerous beast for a moment, and the beast stared back with eyes burning with rage. "I too don't know why Giovanni would do such thing..." Yellow mumbled, however, she's conviced that the creature can hear her. "War is meaningless, it only brings destruction and pain. Everything was fine the way it was, and yet..."

Lance gave her Princess a quick look, but then decided to look quiet. He once heard, a long time ago, that Hellshire would only listen to the pleas of a sincere person. And when it happened, Hellshire would make a rare appearance into the outside world. He brought the Princess here, hoping that she can touch Hellshire with her sincerety. Of course, the consequences frightens him, but he's convinced that there is no other choice.

"I want to stop Giovanni before he further harms anyone else," Yellow continued. "So please... Lend us your power. You're the only one who can help us now..." she pulled away from hiding, and took a brave step forward. Lance tensed, eyes filled with cautioness and distrust.

Hellshire did not budge. It stays still as it fied its gaze on Yellow. The Princess took another step forward, eyes fixed at the dragon, "Please... Once again, lend us your power. Fight with us..." her small, slender hand reaches out for the huge Pokemon, which let out a threatening rumble as a warning. Her hand flinched, but that doesn't stopped her from coming closer and closer.

"Princess..." Lance said. "Step back, don't come any closer."

Hellshire suddenly roared, Lance instinctively grabbed Yellow's wrist and pulled her behind him. The huge Dragonite turned around and heavily trudged back to its dark corner.

"If you don't help us out, all the Soul Keys will be destroyed, and the Demon King will wake up once again!" Yellow cried out in frustration.

Hellshire sharply turn to look at her once again, eyes reflecting incomprehendable fury and rage. The temperature in that room considerably rose, as if the rage of this Pokemon directly links to the air condition around it. The mention of the enemy it defeated a long, long time ago rekindled the fire which has long diminished during peace.

"Princess, it's enough," Lance calmly stated. "There's nothing we can do now..."

"Lance..." The Princess nearly whined. "Isn't there anything else we can do...?"

"... Hellshire would only listen to the pleas of sincere people, or so I've heard..." Lance replied. "If your plea cannot move it, then its heart must have considerably hardened after five hundreds years of waiting..."

"But... You're a descendant... Right?" Yellow hesitated, not sure if she should bring up the matter all of a sudden. "Can't you do anything...?"

"... No."

Yellow eyed him for a moment, before finally recalling that she knows next to nothing about this man. How can she be so selfish? All she ever does is talk about herself, she never, not for even once, bothers with her knight's well-being. She's not supposed to, but how can she be ignorant of such person who had pledged his life to protecting her?

Hellshire let out a low rumble, Yellow can't quiet make out what the dragon Pokemon is trying to say. It looked up at the Soul Key, before suddenly turning to Lance and Yellow once again. Or rather, turning to someone who's standing right behind them.

Lance and Yellow both turned around as well, and was nonetheless surprised to see that someone has been standing right behind them all along. The General gently pushed the Princess back, eyes fixed cautiously at the newcomer. Sora, the Dragonair that Clair lent, hovers right next to Lance, ready to fight when needed.

"Took you some time, Demon Knight," the person emerges from the dark tunnel. He revealed himself to be a very muscular man, dressed in thick armor and carries with him one big axe. He's nothing compared to Bruno, however, he has a crazed look in his eyes that makes him looks even more threatening that the mild-looking Bruno will ever be. "Your skills must have dulled over so many years of serving the Viridian castle..."

Yellow recognized this man. She could have never forgotten the face of the wild man who tried to kill her back in Viridian castle. Surge, or so she recalled his name to be, a very dangerous man.

Surge let out a short chuckle as he lifted his axe and rested the handle against his shoulder. "I would love to hang around an chat, but I have orders to fulfill, and they are pretty detailed. I have to kill you, and bring the Princess back to Lord Giovanni..."

"That's absurd, what does Lord Giovanni wants from me?" Yellow gathered enough courage to ask.

Surge shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care. I'm just doing my job..."

Lance reached for his sword. "Over my dead remains..." he holds the sword in a defensive position and adjusted his position slightly to make sure that the Princess is in no way vulnerable to his attacks.

Hellshire suddenly rose and let out a threatening growl at Surge. It crooked its back, as if ready to pounce on Surge given the right trigger. Surge looks surprised, however, not intimidated. He quickly regained his composure, before whistling out loud. His whistle is high-pitched and loud, causing Yellow to shut her eyes and close her ears in discomfort.

And just seconds after his whistling ceased, a swarn of fast-moving Pokemon suddenly emerges from his back. It moves so fast and swift, even catching the usually-stoic Lance by surprise. Those Pokemon, however, did not move towards Lance or the Princess, they all swarned around the Dragonite.

"Magnemite..." Lance muttered out the name of those Pokemon.

Yellow noticed that, as those Pokemon gather around the Dragonite, the small U-shaped metals on the sides of their bodies began to join, effectively creating a cage around the dragon. For a moment, Yellow thought that that was it, nothing else is going to happen, she was wrong. All those magnemites suddenly let out an electrical attack, causing the dragon to roar out in pain. Chuchu suddenly jumped off Yellow's shoulder and tried to attack those Pokemon, with no luck at all.

Sora the Dragonair cried out in concern, somehow it looks troubled by the situation in hand.

Surge grinned as he pointed his axe at Lance, "This is your end, Demon Knight..."

* * *

"Ah!" Blue cried out in pain as she stumbled back and fall flat on her rear end.

"Blue," Green heavily breathed, "Are you alright?"

The female spy quickly got up to her feet again with a stifled groan, "I'm fine!" she declared as she holds her sword properly, "This is not over!"

Koga chuckled as he playfully twirled the two short knives he's holding in both his hand. Despite having such short weapon, Koga's agility and keen eyes makes him a formidable opponent. They have the advantage at first glance, however, when Koga comes one step too close to them, that's when they should look out.

On the other side, Clair and Red both are fighting against Moltres and Articuno. The fact that Zapdos suddenly came out of nowhere and joins in the fight surprises them to no end. They are clealy overpowered, however miraculously, due to their outstanding teamwork, they managed to make it this far.

"We need to come up with a plan," Clair huffed as her back touches Red's. "We can't die here, not now..."

Red glanced at Bruno, who's effectively taking care of the troops coming from the south. The situation is not looking good, Bruno is obviously overwhelmed by the numbers, his wounds are enough prove. It won't be long before he falls. And the four Dragonair as well as Pika are holding up no better against the three legendar birds.

"We need help," Red grumbled as he slashed down one of the soldiers which managed to get past Bruno. "We can't win like this..."

"Queen Chrishel suspects nothing, she won't be sending any reinforcement..." Blue mumbled.

"Wait a minute," Green heavily breathed, "What about... The reinforcement she previously sent? General Chuck and his men?"

And just as he said those words, an arrow suddenly came out of nowhere and hit Koga directly on the side of his arm. He groaned and turned around to look at the culprite behind the attack, that's when he saw them. From the woods located quiet a distant to the west, men riding Rapidash slowly emerge, one after another.

"G-general Chuck...?" Blue gasped when she recognized the face of the general from a distant.

The general raised his sword, "For Honor!" he bellowed, before his Rapidash suddenly charges towards the battlefield. His men followed, though Blue noticed a significant decrease in the number of men. Something must have happened to them.

"General Chuck!" Green called out for the rider with the sword, "What happened?"

"We were betrayed," the General grumbled unhappily as his Rapidash uneasily stopped and neighed. "Attacked by the Blackthorn's Queen. We fled to the forest, waiting to save some of our friends who are held hostage by the Queen. But then I heard you came. I tried warning you, but you were ahead."

"Thank godness," Blue smiled weakly, "The reinforcement!"

"We'll catch up later!" The general roared, "Right now, we have a battle to win! Men, attack!"

**Author's Note:**

**Phew, I'll never thought I'll be able to reach this far! Thanks for all the supports and reviews, everybody!**

**The new fic will be called 'The Girl with the Sketchbook'. I'll post it up in 3-4 more days, so... Please be patient!**

**Please Comment, Critic and Review!**

**With Love,**

**Eleria-chan.**


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